Clothes irons (also termed clothing irons, flatirons, or simply irons) are well-known appliances used for applying heat and pressure to smooth wrinkles in clothing and other fabrics. Clothes irons comprise a heating element that heats a metallic soleplate, such that the hot soleplate may be pressed against fabric to smooth wrinkles.
Steam irons are a subset of clothes irons. Steam irons enable steam to be produced and applied to clothing in order to increase an iron's ability to smooth wrinkles and/or to enable wrinkles to be smoothed in fabric that may otherwise be more difficult to smooth with heat alone. Steam irons further comprise a water reservoir and a valve to selectively release water from the water reservoir onto an interior surface of the hot soleplate. The hot soleplate vaporizes the water and the resulting steam is released through holes in the soleplate.
Steam irons comprise one or more openings for introducing water into the water reservoir. To eliminate fluid unintentionally escaping the reservoir, some steam irons include a door and/or plug that covers and/or seals the opening(s) when the steam iron is in use.
Prior to being packaged and shipped, steam irons may be tested for quality control. One quality control test performed on these steam irons is to test water tightness of the seal created between the door/plugs and the opening(s) in the water reservoir. Such tests typically involve filling the water reservoir with water. However, after testing is completed and the water reservoir emptied, some residual water may remain in the water reservoir when the steam iron is packaged and shipped. The seal created between the door/plug and the opening(s) may not allow the residual water to evaporate during shipment. If a consumer purchases a new steam iron and notices the residual water in the water reservoir, he/she may believe the steam iron is defective or used. This may lead to product returns, consumer complaints, lost sales, and/or loss of goodwill.